Comcast's Cohen Named Digital Commerce Advisor

Comcast senior executive VP and chief diversity officer David Cohen is among a number of familiar names tapped by U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker to be on the first-ever Digital Economy Board of Advisors, one goal of which is to protect a free and open Internet. Also on the board is AT&T senior executive VP James Cicconi as well as representatives of Microsoft, Consumer Reports, YouTube and Lyft.

Pritzker agreed to create the board last fall as part of the Administration's Digital Economy Agenda, which includes insuring a "free and open internet," broadband access and innovation.

The board will be cochaired by Markle Foundation president Zoe Baird, and Mitchell Baker, executive chairwoman of Mozilla.

“As we develop an agenda to help the digital economy grow and thrive, it is critical that we engage with those on the front lines of the digital revolution," said Pritzker.

Other advisors—each of which will serve two-year terms—are:

•Karen Bartleson, president-elect of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

•Greg Becker, president and CEO of Silicon Valley Bank and SVB Financial Group

•Austan Goolsbee, Robert P. Gwinn Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business

•Mindy Grossman, CEO and director of HSN, Inc.

•Oisin Hanrahan, cofounder and CEO of Handy

•Sonia Katyal, Chancellor’s Professor of Law at the University of California at Berkeley School of Law

•James Manyika, director of the McKinsey Global Institute

•William Ruh, CEO of GE Digital and chief digital officer for GE

•Brad Smith, president and chief legal officer at Microsoft Corporation